U.S. patent application number 12/375069 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-16 for display device.
This patent application is currently assigned to SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Hajime Imai, Yoshiharu Kataoka, Shinya Tanaka, Chikanori Tsukamura.
Application Number | 20090179840 12/375069 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38981329 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090179840 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tanaka; Shinya ; et
al. |
July 16, 2009 |
DISPLAY DEVICE
Abstract
In a display device, a first glass substrate is curved. When
signal line driving elements and scanning line driving elements are
viewed from a normal direction of a principal surface of the first
glass substrate, the signal line driving elements and the scanning
line driving elements each have a rectangular or substantially
rectangular shape with two longer sides and two shorter sides. The
signal line driving elements and the scanning line driving elements
are mounted so that the longer sides thereof are parallel or
substantially parallel to one another.
Inventors: |
Tanaka; Shinya; (Mie,
JP) ; Imai; Hajime; (Mie, JP) ; Tsukamura;
Chikanori; (Mie, JP) ; Kataoka; Yoshiharu;
(Mie, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA;C/O KEATING & BENNETT, LLP
1800 Alexander Bell Drive, SUITE 200
Reston
VA
20191
US
|
Assignee: |
SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Osaka-shi, Osaka
JP
|
Family ID: |
38981329 |
Appl. No.: |
12/375069 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
June 21, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2007/062535 |
371 Date: |
January 26, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/87 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02F 1/1345 20130101;
G09G 2300/0426 20130101; G02F 1/133305 20130101; G02F 1/13454
20130101; G02F 1/13452 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/87 |
International
Class: |
G09G 3/36 20060101
G09G003/36 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 27, 2006 |
JP |
2006-205211 |
Claims
1-10. (canceled)
11. A display device comprising: an active matrix substrate; and a
display medium layer disposed on a principal surface of the active
matrix substrate; wherein the active matrix substrate includes: a
glass substrate having a principal surface which includes a
displaying region and a terminal region; a plurality of circuit
elements provided in the displaying region of the glass substrate;
a plurality of signal lines and a plurality of scanning lines
connected to the plurality of circuit elements; at least one signal
line driving element mounted in the terminal region of the glass
substrate to supply a data signal to the plurality of signal lines;
and at least one scanning line driving element mounted in the
terminal region of the glass substrate to supply a gate signal to
the plurality of scanning lines; the glass substrate is curved; and
when the at least one signal line driving element and the at least
one scanning line driving element are each viewed from a normal
direction of the principal surface of the glass substrate, the at
least one signal line driving element and the at least one scanning
line driving element each have a rectangular or substantially
rectangular shape with two longer sides and two shorter sides, the
at least one signal line driving element and the at least one
scanning line driving element each being mounted so that the longer
sides thereof are parallel or substantially parallel to one
another.
12. The display device of claim 11, wherein the glass substrate is
curved in a direction which is perpendicular or substantially
perpendicular to each longer side of the at least one signal line
driving element.
13. The display device of claim 11, wherein the longer sides of the
at least one signal line driving element are parallel or
substantially parallel, or perpendicular or substantially
perpendicular, to a direction in which the plurality of signal
lines extend.
14. The display device of claim 11, wherein the principal surface
of the glass substrate is curved in a concave shape.
15. The display device of claim 11, wherein the principal surface
of the glass substrate is curved in a convex shape.
16. The display device of claim 11, wherein the at least one signal
line driving element and the at least one scanning line driving
element are each mounted via an anisotropic electrically-conductive
layer.
17. The display device of claim 11, wherein the active matrix
substrate further includes a plurality of substrate lines provided
in the terminal region of the glass substrate; input bumps and
output bumps are provided on the at least one signal line driving
element; and the plurality of substrate lines include a plurality
of input substrate lines electrically connected to the input bumps
of the at least one signal line driving element and a plurality of
output substrate lines electrically connected to the plurality of
signal lines and the output bumps of the at least one signal line
driving element, the output substrate line or lines corresponding
to the at least one signal line driving element being disposed so
as to be closer to the displaying region than are the input
substrate lines.
18. The display device of claim 11, further comprising a counter
substrate opposing the active matrix substrate via the display
medium layer, wherein the display medium layer is a liquid crystal
layer.
19. The display device of claim 11, further comprising a circuit
arranged to receive a television broadcast.
20. An automotive vehicle comprising the display device of claim 11
which defines at least a portion of an instrument panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a display device, and more
particularly to a display device having a curved shape.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generic display devices have substantially planar or
rectangular solid shapes. However, in a display device having such
a shape, external light in the surroundings may be reflected by a
glass substrate, so that the surrounding landscapes may appear as
reflection glares overlaid on a video on the display device, thus
causing a misperception of the video. Therefore, adopting a curved
shape for the display device is known to suppress reflection
glares. In a display device of a curved shape, the glass substrate
is curved in a predetermined shape (see, for example, Japanese
Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 11-38395).
[0005] Generally speaking, an active matrix substrate that is used
for a display device such as a liquid crystal display device
includes a plurality of semiconductor chips (driving elements)
which are mounted in a terminal region of a glass substrate. The
semiconductor chips generate data signals and gate signals which
are generated based on input signals, and supply these signals to
signal lines and scanning lines. In the following descriptions of
the present specification, a semiconductor chip which supplies a
data signal to a signal line will be referred to as a signal line
driving element, whereas a semiconductor chip which supplies a gate
signal to a scanning line will be referred to as a scanning line
driving element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The inventors of the invention described in the present
application have discovered that, when signal line driving elements
and scanning line driving elements are simply mounted on a curved
glass substrate, the signal line driving elements and scanning line
driving elements may become detached from the glass substrate due
to a load which emanates from bending stress.
[0007] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been
developed in view of the above problems, and provide a display
device having a curved shape, to prevent once-mounted signal line
driving elements and scanning line driving elements from being
detached from a glass substrate.
[0008] A display device according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention includes an active matrix substrate and a display
medium layer disposed on a principal surface of the active matrix
substrate, wherein, the active matrix substrate includes: a glass
substrate having a principal surface which includes a displaying
region and a terminal region, a plurality of circuit elements
provided in the displaying region of the glass substrate, a
plurality of signal lines and a plurality of scanning lines
connected to the plurality of circuit elements, at least one signal
line driving element mounted in the terminal region of the glass
substrate to supply a data signal to the plurality of signal lines,
and at least one scanning line driving element mounted in the
terminal region of the glass substrate to supply a gate signal to
the plurality of scanning lines; the glass substrate is curved; and
when the at least one signal line driving element and the at least
one scanning line driving element are each viewed from a normal
direction of the principal surface of the glass substrate, the at
least one signal line driving element and the at least one scanning
line driving element each have a rectangular or substantially
rectangular shape with two longer sides and two shorter sides, the
at least one signal line driving element and the at least one
scanning line driving element each being mounted so that the longer
sides thereof are parallel or substantially parallel to one
another.
[0009] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
glass substrate is curved in a direction which is perpendicular or
substantially perpendicular to each longer side of the at least one
signal line driving element.
[0010] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
longer sides of the at least one signal line driving element are
parallel or substantially parallel, or perpendicular or
substantially perpendicular, to a direction in which the plurality
of signal lines extend.
[0011] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
principal surface of the glass substrate is curved in a concave
shape.
[0012] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
principal surface of the glass substrate is curved in a convex
shape.
[0013] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at
least one signal line driving element and the at least one scanning
line driving element are each mounted via an anisotropic
electrically-conductive layer.
[0014] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
active matrix substrate further includes a plurality of substrate
lines provided in the terminal region of the glass substrate; input
bumps and output bumps are provided on the at least one signal line
driving element; and the plurality of substrate lines include a
plurality of input substrate lines electrically connected to the
input bumps of the at least one signal line driving element and a
plurality of output substrate lines electrically connected to the
plurality of signal lines and the output bumps of the at least one
signal line driving element, the output substrate line or lines
corresponding to the at least one signal line driving element being
disposed so as to be closer to the displaying region than are the
input substrate lines.
[0015] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
display device also includes a counter substrate opposing the
active matrix substrate via the display medium layer, wherein, the
display medium layer is a liquid crystal layer.
[0016] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
display device also includes a circuit arranged to receive a
television broadcast.
[0017] In an automotive vehicle according to another preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the display device according
to one of the above-described preferred embodiments is used as an
instrument panel.
[0018] According to various preferred embodiments of the present
invention, in a display device having a curved shape, once-mounted
signal line driving elements and scanning line driving elements can
be prevented from being detached from a glass substrate.
[0019] Other features, elements, steps, characteristics and
advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from
the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the
present invention with reference to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a display
device according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, FIG. 1B is a schematic side view of the display device
of the present preferred embodiment, and FIG. 1C is a schematic
plan view of the display device of the present preferred
embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a display device of a
comparative example.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a signal line driving
element in the display device of the present preferred
embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example where the display
device of the present preferred embodiment is used for an
instrument panel.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing another variant of
the display device of the present preferred embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view showing still another
variant of the display device of the present preferred
embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 7A is a schematic side view of still another display
device of the present preferred embodiment, and FIG. 7B is a
schematic plan view of the display device shown in FIG. 7A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of a display device
according to the present invention will be described with reference
to the drawings. Herein, a liquid crystal display device will be
illustrated as an example of a display device.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1A, the display device 100 of the present
preferred embodiment includes an active matrix substrate 200, a
counter substrate 300, and a display medium layer 350 interposed
between the active matrix substrate 200 and the counter substrate
300. As shown in FIG. 1B, the display device 100 of the present
preferred embodiment has a curved shape. Herein, the display device
100 preferably is a liquid crystal display device, and the display
medium layer 350 preferably is a liquid crystal layer. In this
case, an image is displayed when each pixel modulates the light
which is emitted from a backlight (not shown).
[0029] As shown in FIG. 1C, the active matrix substrate 200
includes: a glass substrate 210 having a principal surface 213
which includes a displaying region 211 and a terminal region 212; a
plurality of circuit elements 220 provided in the displaying region
211 of the glass substrate 210; a plurality of signal lines 230 and
a plurality of scanning lines 240 connected to the plurality of
circuit elements 220; signal line driving elements 260 arranged to
supply data signals to the signal lines 230; and scanning line
driving elements 270 arranged to supply gate signals to the
scanning lines 240. The signal line driving elements 260 and the
scanning line driving elements 270 preferably are bare chips, for
example. The signal line driving elements 260 and the scanning line
driving elements 270 are mounted in the terminal region 212 of the
glass substrate 210. Moreover, an input substrate 280 having a
plurality of terminals 281 is attached in the terminal region 212
of the glass substrate 210.
[0030] FIG. 1A corresponds to a cross section along line 1A-1A' in
FIG. 1C. As shown in FIG. 1A, the counter substrate 300 includes a
glass substrate 310. The area of the principal surface 213 of the
glass substrate 210 is greater than that of the principal surface
311 of the glass substrate 310, and the glass substrate 310 is
disposed so as to overlap the glass substrate 210. Note that, in
the following descriptions of the present specification, the glass
substrate 210 of the active matrix substrate 200 may be referred to
as a "first glass substrate", whereas the glass substrate 310 of
the counter substrate 300 may be referred to as a "second glass
substrate".
[0031] FIG. 1B corresponds to a cross section along line 1B-1B' in
FIG. 1C. The arrow shown in FIG. 1B indicates a direction in which
a viewer of the display device 100 watches the display surface. The
first glass substrate 210 and the second glass substrate 310 are
curved with respect to a bending axis which is parallel to the
signal lines 230, in a direction that the scanning lines 240
extend, i.e., the lateral direction. As shown in FIG. 1B, the
principal surface 213 of the first glass substrate 210 is curved in
a concave shape, whereas the principal surface 311 of the second
glass substrate 310 is curved in a convex shape, such that the
principal surface 311 of the second glass substrate 310 is parallel
or substantially parallel to the principal surface 213 of the first
glass substrate 210. For example, the first glass substrate 210
preferably has an outer size of approximately 383.8 mm.times.122
mm; the second glass substrate 310 has an outer size of
approximately 373.8 mm.times.116.5 mm; and the first and second
glass substrates 210 and 310 preferably have a thickness of about
0.25 mm, for example. Moreover, radii of curvature of the first and
second glass substrates 210 and 310 preferably are about 600 R to
about 1500 R (about 600 mm to about 1500 mm), for example; herein,
radii of curvature of the first and second glass substrates 210 and
310 are preferably about 1000 R.
[0032] In the displaying region 211, the signal lines 230 and the
scanning lines 240 are disposed so that they cross each other
perpendicularly. FIG. 1C shows two signal lines 230 and two
scanning lines 240 as an exemplification. Each circuit element 220
has a pixel electrode and a thin film transistor. Moreover, the
signal line driving elements 260 and the scanning line driving
elements 270 are mounted on the glass substrate 210 via an
anisotropic electrically-conductive layer (not shown) . The
anisotropic electrically-conductive layer is formed by using an
anisotropic electrically-conductive film (ACF), anisotropic
electrically-conductive paste (ACP), or the like.
[0033] When each signal line driving element 260 is viewed from the
normal direction of the principal surface 213 of the first glass
substrate 210, the signal line driving element 260 has a
rectangular or substantially rectangular shape with two longer
sides 261, 262 and two shorter sides 263, 264. Moreover, when each
scanning line driving element 270 is viewed from the normal
direction of the principal surface 213 of the first glass substrate
210, the scanning line driving element 270 has a rectangular or
substantially rectangular shape with two longer sides 271, 272 and
two shorter sides 273, 274. The signal line driving elements 260
and the scanning line driving elements 270 are mounted on the first
glass substrate 210 so that the longer sides 261, 262, 271, 272 are
parallel or substantially parallel to one another.
[0034] Hereinafter, the construction of the display device 100 of
the present preferred embodiment will be described in comparison
with that of the display device 400 of a comparative example.
First, referring to FIG. 2, the construction of the display device
400 of the comparative example will be described.
[0035] A first glass substrate 510 and a second glass substrate are
curved also in the display device 400 of the comparative example,
as in the display device 100 of the present preferred embodiment.
However, the display device 400 of the comparative example differs
from the display device 100 of the present preferred embodiment in
that longer sides 561, 562 of each signal line driving element 560
are parallel or substantially parallel to scanning lines 540. In
the following descriptions of the present specification, when a
signal line driving element 560 is disposed so that the longer
sides 561, 562 of the signal line driving element 560 are parallel
or substantially parallel to the scanning lines 540, as in the
display device 400 of the comparative example, the signal line
driving element may be referred to as being laterally positioned.
On the other hand, as in the display device 100 of the present
preferred embodiment, when a signal line driving element 260 is
disposed so that the longer sides 261, 262 of the signal line
driving element 260 are perpendicular or substantially
perpendicular to the scanning lines 240 (i.e., parallel or
substantially parallel to the signal lines 230), the signal line
driving element may be referred to as being vertically
positioned.
[0036] In the display device 400 of the comparative example, the
signal line driving elements 560 are laterally positioned on the
first glass substrate 510 which is curved in the lateral direction.
Therefore, due to a bending stress, a load acts along the longer
sides 561, 562 of the signal line driving elements 560 so as to
detach it from the first glass substrate 510. In particular, a
strong load acts on those signal line driving elements 560 which
are at both ends of the row of signal line driving elements 560. If
the signal line driving elements 560 are detached from a principal
surface 513 of the first glass substrate 510, the connections
between the signal line driving elements 560 and input substrate
lines 552 and output substrate lines 554 will become
insufficient.
[0037] On the other hand, in the display device 100 of the present
preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C, the signal
line driving elements 260 are vertically positioned on the first
glass substrate 210 which is curved in the lateral direction. In
this case, even if the first glass substrate 210 is curved, the
signal line driving elements 260 are unlikely to be detached from
the first glass substrate 210, and the electrical connection of the
signal line driving elements 260 is ensured.
[0038] Thus, in the display device 100 of the present preferred
embodiment, since the signal line driving elements 260 are
vertically positioned, the electrical connection of the signal line
driving elements 260 is ensured even if the first glass substrate
210 is curved in the lateral direction. Moreover, in the display
device 100 of the present preferred embodiment, the longer sides
271, 272 of the scanning line driving elements 270 are also
disposed parallel to the longer sides 261, 262 of the signal line
driving elements 260, and thus the electrical connection of the
scanning line driving elements 270 is ensured for a reason similar
to that for the signal line driving elements 260.
[0039] Hereinafter, the construction of the signal line driving
elements 260 in the display device 100 will be described. FIG. 3
shows a signal line driving element 260 as viewed from the normal
direction of the principal surface 213 of the first glass substrate
210. The signal line driving element 260 has a rectangular or
substantially rectangular shape having two longer sides 261, 262
and two shorter sides 263, 264, such that the ratio between the
shorter sides 263, 264 and the longer sides 261, 262 is
approximately 1:10, for example. Note that the scanning line
driving elements 270 also have a similar construction to that of
the signal line driving elements 260, such that, when viewed from
the normal direction of the principal surface 213 of the first
glass substrate 210, each scanning line driving element 270 has a
rectangular or substantially rectangular shape having two longer
sides 271, 272 and two shorter sides 273, 274. Moreover, the ratio
between the shorter sides 273, 274 and the longer sides 271, 272 is
substantially similar to that of the signal line driving elements
260. Note that, in strict manner, the ratio of the shorter sides
and the longer sides may be different between the signal line
driving elements 260 and the scanning line driving elements
270.
[0040] Input bumps 266 and output bumps 267 shown in FIG. 3 are
provided on a surface of the signal line driving element 260 that
opposes the principal surface 213 of the first glass substrate 210
(see FIG. 1A and FIG. 1C), and an integrated circuit 268 shown in
FIG. 3 is incorporated inside the signal line driving element 260.
Note that, as will be understood from FIG. 1C and FIG. 3, the input
bumps 266 are disposed on the input substrate side so as to be
connected to the input substrate lines 252 of the first glass
substrate 210, whereas the output bumps 267 are disposed on the
displaying region side so as to be connected to the output
substrate lines 254 of the first glass substrate 210. In the signal
line driving element 260, the number of output bumps 267 is greater
than the number of input bumps 266. While FIG. 3 schematically
shows the input bumps 266 and output bumps 267 provided on the
signal line driving element 260, there may be 42 input bumps 266
and 480 output bumps 267, for example. Moreover, the interval
between adjoining output bumps 267 preferably is about 36 .mu.m,
for example.
[0041] FIG. 1C is referred to again. A plurality of substrate lines
250 are provided in the terminal region 212 of the first glass
substrate 210. The plurality of substrate lines 250 include: input
substrate lines 252, which electrically connect terminals 281 of
the input substrate 280 and the signal line driving elements 260;
output substrate lines 254, which electrically connect the signal
lines 230 and the signal line driving elements 260; input substrate
lines 256, which electrically connect the terminals 281 of the
input substrate 280 and the scanning line driving elements 270; and
output substrate lines 258, which electrically connect the scanning
lines 240 and the scanning line driving elements 270. In the
following descriptions of the present specification, the input
substrate lines 252 will be referred to as first input substrate
lines; the output substrate lines 254 will be referred to as first
output substrate lines; the input substrate lines 256 will be
referred to as second input substrate lines; and the output
substrate lines 258 will be referred to as second output substrate
lines. Note that adjoining substrate lines 250 are spaced apart by
a predetermined distance (e.g., about 31 .mu.m), so as to be
electrically insulated from each other.
[0042] Note that, although the first input substrate lines 252 and
the first output substrate lines 254 are preferably provided for
each signal line driving element 260, FIG. 1C only shows those
corresponding to the signal line driving elements 260 that are
provided at both ends of a row of signal line driving elements 260,
in order to prevent the figure from becoming too complicated.
Similarly, although the terminals 281 of the input substrate 280
are provided so as to be electrically connected to the respective
first input substrate lines for each signal line driving element
260, FIG. 1C only shows those corresponding to the signal line
driving element 260 at the left end, in order to prevent the figure
from becoming too complicated.
[0043] Input signals are input from the terminals 281 of the input
substrate 280 to the signal line driving elements 260 and the
scanning line driving elements 270, respectively, via the first
input substrate lines 252 and the second input substrate lines 256
provided in the terminal region 212 of the first glass substrate
210. An integrated circuit (see FIG. 3; not shown in FIG. 1C) is
incorporated in each of the signal line driving elements 260 and
the scanning line driving elements 270. Each integrated circuit
performs a predetermined process based on an input signal to
generate a data signal and a gate signal, and they supply the data
signals and the gate signals to the signal lines 230 and the
scanning lines 240 respectively via the first output substrate
lines 254 and the second output substrate lines 258.
[0044] Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1C, in each of the plurality of
signal line driving elements 260, the first output substrate lines
254 are provided so as to be closer to the displaying region than
are the first input substrate lines 252. FIG. 1C shows a region R1
that accommodates signal lines 230 to which a data signal is
supplied from a single signal line driving element 260. Each signal
line driving element 260 is disposed near the center of a shorter
side of the region R1, such that the first input substrate lines
252 and the first output substrate lines 254 are disposed
axisymmetrically with respect to the signal line driving element
260. The first input substrate lines 252 and the first output
substrate lines 254 have parallel portions which extend in parallel
or substantially parallel to the longer sides 261, 262 of the
signal line driving elements 260, and the parallel portions of the
first input substrate lines 252 are disposed closer to the input
substrate than are the parallel portions of the first output
substrate lines 254, in a coinciding arrangement with them with
respect to the lateral width of the first glass substrate 210.
[0045] Moreover, since the display device 100 of the present
preferred embodiment has a curved shape, it is possible to suppress
reflection glare as mentioned above. Moreover, the display device
100 of the present preferred embodiment has the following
advantages in addition to suppression of reflection glare.
[0046] Since the display device has a curved shape, the display
device has an improved design freedom, thus further broadening the
range of applications for the display device. For example, the
display device 100 is suitably used as a display device for an
instrument panel to be incorporated in an automotive vehicle. As
used herein, an "automotive vehicle" broadly refers to any vehicle
or machine which is capable of self propulsion and used for
passenger or article transportation or moving of objects, without
being limited to so-called automobiles. Specifically, an instrument
panel of an automobile may carry various instruments such as a
speedometer. In the place of such instruments, a display device
having a curved shape can be used. In recent years, there is a
tendency that automobiles having a curved structure are preferred.
By using a curved liquid crystal display device as an instrument
panel, it becomes possible to produce an automobile which satisfies
the preferences of users.
[0047] FIG. 4 shows an example where the display device 100 of the
present preferred embodiment is used for an instrument panel of a
four-wheeled automobile. FIG. 4 shows an example where the
velocity, shift lever position, remaining battery power, water
temperature, and remaining fuel amount of the automotive vehicle
are displayed on the right-hand side of a displaying region 211,
whereas car navigation information is displayed on the left-hand
side of the displaying region 211. The car navigation information
is information of a current location or a route to a destination
for a driver during travel.
[0048] In addition to improvements in design freedom, since the
display device 100 has a curved shape, differences in distances
from the viewer to the central portion and peripheral portions on
the display surface can be reduced, whereby an enhanced display
realism is provided.
[0049] Moreover, a curved glass substrate can be produced by known
methods as described below. For example, a glass substrate may be
sandwiched by acrylic plates having a curved-surface shape, and a
pressure may be applied so as to compress the two acrylic
substrates, whereby a curved glass substrate can be produced.
Alternatively, a glass substrate may be secured to an acrylic plate
having a curved-surface shape, whereby a curved glass substrate can
be produced.
[0050] Alternatively, the glass substrate may be curved by press
forming. Specifically, after overlaying a second glass substrate on
a first glass substrate, at a high temperature, they may be pressed
with a concave shaping die and a convex shaping die having a
predetermined radius of curvature, thus performing a press forming.
Alternatively, after overlaying a second glass substrate on a first
glass substrate, a self-weight forming may be performed at a high
temperature, followed by a press forming.
[0051] The first glass substrate 210 may be curved after mounting
the signal line driving elements 260 and scanning line driving
elements 270 on the first glass substrate 210 having a planar
shape, or, the signal line driving elements 260 and scanning line
driving elements 270 may be mounted after curving the first glass
substrate 210. However, mounting can be performed more easily by
curving the first glass substrate 210 after mounting the signal
line driving elements 260 and scanning line driving elements
270.
[0052] In the display device 100 shown in FIG. 1C, the scanning
line driving elements 270 are preferably disposed so that the
longer sides 272 oppose the displaying region 211; however, the
present invention is not limited thereto. As shown in FIG. 5, the
scanning line driving elements 270 may be disposed in the same row
as the signal line driving elements 260. As a result, the lateral
width of the first glass substrate 210, i.e., the lateral width of
the active matrix substrate 200, can be reduced.
[0053] In the above description, the first and second glass
substrates 210 and 310 are preferably curved in the lateral
direction, and the scanning line driving elements 260 and the
signal line driving elements 270 are preferably vertically
positioned; however, the present invention is not limited thereto.
As shown in FIG. 6, the scanning line driving elements 260 and the
signal line driving elements 270 may be laterally positioned on
first and second glass substrates 210 and 310 which are curved in
the vertical direction. Thus, on the first glass substrate 210,
which is curved with respect to a bending axis parallel to the
scanning lines 240 in a direction that the signal lines 230 extend,
i.e., the vertical direction, the longer sides 261, 262 of the
signal line driving elements 260 and the longer sides 271, 272 of
the scanning line driving elements 270 are disposed parallel or
substantially parallel to the direction that the scanning lines 240
extend; as a result, the signal line driving elements 260 and the
scanning line driving elements 270 are both unlikely to be detached
from the first glass substrate 210, and the electrical connection
of the signal line driving elements 260 and the scanning line
driving elements 270 is ensured.
[0054] In the above description, the signal line driving elements
260 and the scanning line driving elements 270 preferably are
mounted on the first glass substrate 210 via an anisotropic
electrically-conductive layer (not shown); however, the present
invention is not limited thereto. The signal line driving elements
260 and the scanning line driving elements 270 may be mounted via
solder.
[0055] In the display device 100 shown in FIG. 1C, the plurality of
signal line driving elements 260 and scanning line driving elements
270 are preferably mounted on the first glass substrate 210;
however, the present invention is not limited thereto. There may be
one signal line driving element 260 and one scanning line driving
element 270.
[0056] In the above description, an instrument panel of an
automotive vehicle is preferably illustrated as an application of a
display device having a curved shape; however, the present
invention is not limited thereto. For example, a circuit for
receiving a television broadcast may be provided for a display
device having a curved shape, and this display device may be
utilized in a large-size television set. In this case, too,
reflection glare of external light will be suppressed, and the
viewer will feel surrounded by the concave-shaped display surface,
thus being able to view a realistic video.
[0057] In the above description, the display surface is preferably
curved in a concave shape toward the viewer; however, the present
invention is not limited thereto. As shown in FIG. 7A, the display
surface may be curved in the lateral direction, so as to present a
convex shape toward the viewer. In this display device 100, as
shown in FIG. 7A, the principal surface 213 of the first glass
substrate 210 is curved in a convex shape; the principal surface
311 of the second glass substrate 310 is curved in a concave shape;
and as shown in FIG. 7B, the signal line driving elements 260 are
vertically positioned.
[0058] In the above description, the display device preferably is a
liquid crystal display device; however, the present invention is
not limited thereto. The display device may be any arbitrary
display device, such as an organic EL display device, a plasma
display device, or an SED display device. In the case where the
display device is an organic EL display device, the display device
does not need to include a counter substrate, but a display medium
layer (i.e., an organic EL layer) may be disposed on a principal
surface of an active matrix substrate.
[0059] According to various preferred embodiments of the present
invention, a display device which is suitably used for an
instrument panel can be provided. This instrument panel is suitably
used for various types of automotive vehicles, e.g., a car, a
motorbike, a bus, a truck, a tractor, an airplane, a motor boat, a
vehicle for civil engineering use, a train, or the like. Moreover,
according to various preferred embodiments of the present
invention, a display device which is capable of displaying a
realistic video can be provided.
[0060] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have
been described above, it is to be understood that variations and
modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without
departing the scope and spirit of the present invention. The scope
of the present invention, therefore, is to be determined solely by
the following claims.
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